Traveling crane



Patented July 8, 1919.

O lh 5 1 o THE COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH c0., WAsHlNdTON, D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. YOUNG, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 HENRY H. ERKELENZ, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TRAVELING CRANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed April 12, 1918. Serial No. 228,288.

This invention relates more particularlyto eight wheeled traveling bridge cranes.

The main objects of the invention are to provide for direct transmission of both vertical and horizontal thrusts, strains and stresses between the bridge and trucks to and through the web members of the bridge girders; to equally distribute the load upon 1 the several truck wheels and maintain uniform load on each wheel when the track rails are worn, distorted or uneven; to more evenly and steadily support the bridge when it is traversing its ways; to increase the driving traction of the truck wheels for propelling the crane along its ways; to insure greater safety in the operation of the crane; and generally to improve the construction and operation of cranes of the class designated.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate'the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a traveling crane embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the equalizing truck frames and driving connections for the truck wheels at one end of the crane, parts being omitted and shown in section; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one end of the crane as viewed from the left relative to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 411, Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55, Fig. 2.

The crane comprises a bridge 1, mounted at the ends on truck frames 2, which are pivotally connected with the bridge girders and are provided with flanged truck wheels 8, 1 and 5.

The bridge 1 comprises longitudinal box girders 6, which are rigidly connected'at the ends by box tie members 7 open on the under side.

The bridge girders 6 may be conveniently constructed as shown, and each consists of vertical webs 8, top plates 9, secured to the webs by angle bars 10 fastened to the outer sides of the webs, and bottom plates 11, secured to the webs some distance above their lower edges by angle bars 12 fastened to the inner sides of the webs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:.

The tie members 7 may be of similar construction, each consisting of webs 13 and a top plate 11, secured to the webs by angle bars 15, riveted 0r fastened to the outer sides of the Webs. The tie members however, have no bottom plates, but are left open on the under side for a purpose to be hereinafter pointed out. The webs 13 may be reinforced along their lower edges by angle bars 16, riveted or otherwise fastened to the outer sides thereof.

The bridge girders (i are provided on the upper sides thereof with parallel track rails 17, for the hoisting trolley with which the bridge is provided as usual in this type of cranes.

The equalizing truck or wheel frames 2, which may be cast in box-like form, are pivotally connected with the bridge 1 by means of flanged brackets 18 and pins 1!). The brackets are fastened by bolts 20 to angle bars 21, riveted to the outer sides of the bridge girders 6 adjacent to their lower edges, which bear directly upon the upper sides of the brackets. The brackets are formed on their upper sides with lugs 22, which fit snugly between the bridge webs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1, thereby relieving the bolts 20 of shearing stresses and preventing displacement of the brackets transversely to the girders, the bolts 20 preventingdisplacement of the brackets lcngtlnvise of the girders.

The b 'aekets 18 being so constructed and connected with the bridge, vertical stresses on the girders and truck frames are trans. mitted directly through the girder webs '8.

The top walls of the wheel frames 2 are formed, as shown in Figs. 2, 4: and 5, with central openings to receive the pivot brackets 18, and the pivot pins 19, which pass looselythrough the brackets and alined openings in the sides of the truck frames, are fastened in place in said frames and held from turning therein by locking plates 25, engaging notches in the pins and bolted to the frames, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The flanged truck wheels 3, 4 and 5, which travel on and are guided by stationary parallel track rails 27, are keyed or other wise fixed on axles 29, and 31. The wheel axles are provided with journal boxes or bearings 32, fitting into recesses in the ends of the frames 2 and held in place therein by oil boxes 33, as shownin Figs. 1 and 4. The wheel frames, which are open at the ends and on the under side adjacent to the ends to receive the truck wheels, extend over and the plane of the truck wheels, with safety lugs 35, which extend normally below the tops of the track rails 27 and prevent the crane from leaving the track in case a truck I wheel is broken while the bridge is in motion. a

A driving shaft 36, extending along one side of the bridge 1 from end to end thereof, is supported at the ends in bearings 37, on the outer ends of the propelling truck frames 2, and is provided between said bearings, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with pinions 3 8, which vmesh with gears 39 fixed on the axles 29, adjacent to the inner sides of the truck wheels 3. Removable covers 41 for the pinions 38, are formed or provided with caps 42 for the bearings 39, and are bolted to the truck frames 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The axles 30 of the wheels 4 are operatively connected with the axles 29 of the wheels 3 by a train of gears 45, 46 and 47 the gears 45 and 47 being fixed on the outer ends of the axles 29 and 30, and the intermediate i-dle' gears 46 being loosely mounted on the outwardly extended pivot pins 19.

The two truck wheels 3 and'4 at each end of the bridge are thus simultaneously driven from the common driving shaft 36, which may in turn be driven by an electric motor (not shown) mounted on the bridge in the.

usual or any suitable manner, and the traction of the truck wheels utilized to propel the crane in either direction albng the track rails 27 is doubled or increased without correspondingly complicating the prostruction and arrangement of parts may be made without departure from the principle and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim;

1. In a traveling crane the combination 'of a bridge having longitudinal box girders rigidly connected at the ends by transverse tie members, brackets secured to the lower edges of the girder webs and having lugs fitting between said webs, equalizing truck frames disposed transversely to the girders centrally pivoted to the brackets and provided at the ends with wheel bearings,

and truck wheels journaled in said bearings.

2. In a traveling crane the combination of a bridge comprising longitudinal box girders rigidly connected at the ends by transverse tie members and having bottom plates secured to the webs above the lower edges thereof, and angle bars secured to the outer sides of the webs adjacent to their lower edges, brackets bolted to the angle bars against the lower edges of the girder webs and having lugs on their upper sides fitting between the webs, equalizing truck frames disposed transversely to the girder centrally pivoted to the brackets and provided at the ends with wheel bearings, and truck wheels journaled in said bearings.

3. In a traveling crane the combination of a bridge comprising longitudinal box girders rigidly connected at the ends by transverse box tie members which are open on theunder side, brackets fastened to the ends of the girders and bearing against the lower edges of their webs, equalizing truck frames disposed transversely to the girders and centrally pivoted to the brackets, and truck wheels journaled in the ends of said frames, the inner ends of the truck frames extending upwardly into the tie members of the bridge.

4. In a traveling crane the combination of a bridge comprising longitudinal girders rigidly connected at the ends by transverse tie members, brackets secured to and bearing against the under side of the girders at the ends, equalizing truck frames disposed transversely to the girders and centrally pivoted to the brackets, truck wheels journaled in the ends of the truck frames equidistant from and parallel with their pivot connections with the bridge, a longitudinal driving shaft connected by gears with the axle of the outer truck wheel at each end of the bridge, and intermeshing gears comprising an intermediate gear mounted on the extended pivot pin of one equalizing truck frame at each end of the bridge and operatively connecting the axles of the two associated truck wheels.

5. In a traveling crane the combination of a bridge comprising longitudinal girders and transverse tie members connecting the girders at the ends and open on the under side, brackets fastened to and depending from the under side of the girders, equalizing truck frames disposed transversely to the girders centrally pivoted to the brackets, extending at their inner ends upwardly into the tie members and provided on opposite sides of the vertical planes of the truck wheels with safety lugs which extend below the treads of the truck wheels, and truck wheels ournaled in said frames equidistant from their pivot connections with the bridge.

In witness whereof I hereto allix my slgnature.

WILLIAM A. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained (or five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G. 

